306 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1883. 



seen the egg is full of fluid, imiform in appearance throughout. 

 When next observed segmentation had taken place and advanced 

 to the morula stage, showing everywhere small granular cells of 

 uniform size. Afterward a hyaline spot appears at one end of the 

 egg, which there seems empty or tilled with a homogeneous fluid ; 

 next to which are large cells, containing smaller ones of various 

 sizes. Later both ends become transparent, the large cells 

 bounding the small-celled body-cavity and forming the well-known 

 i astrula condition. He was not able to trace the formation of 

 the various internal or external organs. The cyclosis or pulsa- 

 tion of the larval heart was counted in two instances at 45 and 50 

 per minute. 



The manner of ovipositing (August 13) the nineteenth egg 

 is thus described : When first observed the queen stood up high 

 upon all three pairs of legs, the abdomen thrown forward between 

 them and the head bent back almost to meet it. The egg was 

 then about half protruded. Considerable muscular action was 

 visilile throughout the abdomen, and when presently the egg was 

 posited she straightened herself out with a visible air of relief, but 

 forgot all about the egg, which was lelt lying under her for several 

 minutes while she attended to other matters, until at last, acci- 

 dentally touching it with one antenna, she picked it up and carried 

 it to the family apartments, where, presently, the worker found it 

 and placed it in the group of the older eggs. An evident intent 

 at classifying tlie eggs and larvae was remarked, these (within«the 

 narrow limitations of the chosen space) having been kept to a 

 good degree separate. 



August 13, another worker was released from its cocoon, Mr. 

 Potts did not see the act, but believed that the female assisted, as 

 she was seen standing over the neophyte who seemed to be weak, 

 its femora bent forward, the tarsi and tibiffi still nearly reaching 

 the end of the abdomen, indicating the manner in which the legs 

 were folded in the cocoon. Immediately after release the mother 

 gave the young imago nourishment in the manner above described. 



At this date there were in the formicary, beside the mature ants, 

 two full-grown larvae, very fat, two about half-grown, and several 

 smaller ones, with the eggs in different stages of development. 

 The two oldest were then evidently about read\^ to spin, but what 

 chance they could have, with the mature ants continually tramping 

 over them, standing them np on end or hauling them off to a 

 distance, Mr. Potts was at a loss to imagine. From the mouth of 

 one he observed a strand of silk protruding, but the workers 

 came, apparently trying to grasp it, and left him in doubt w^hether 

 their object was to help or hinder the weaving process. 



August 14, one of the two full-grown larvje was found wrapped 

 in its winding sheet. The web was very thin and the motion of 

 the larvjxi readily seen through it. The other larva seemed almost 

 totally quiescent, but careful examination with a Coddington 

 lens showed some muscular action in the posterior segments of 



